Life-saving buoy.



J. B. ADAMS.

LIFE SAVING BUOY.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.12.

Patented Mar. 10,1914

ML www@ @www M COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Col, WASHINGTON, D. c4

'ilNTED STATES PATENT OFFXCE.

JOI-IN BALDWIN ADAMS, OF CHRIS'ICI-IURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

LIFE-SAVING BUOY.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J o1-Ii\T BALDWIN ADAMS,a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 308 Armagh street,Christchurch, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Life-Saving Buoys, of which the following is aspecification.

rlhis invention relates to a life-saving buoy or fioat for use in savingpeople from drowning. Hitherto these have generally been made of cork.The weight of cork however, is such, that, to provide a float capable ofefficiently supporting several persons, necessitates somewhat bulky andcumbersome construction, while, owing to the high price of cork suchconstruction would be expensive. Apart from. this however the buoyancydepends upon the cellular structure of cork and experience has shownthat in the course of time, and under the conditions to which suchdevices are subjected, deterioration of the cork takes place whichresults in the loss of such cellular structure, and consequently, of itsbuoyant properties. Hitherto it has been proposed, as a substitute forcork, to employ a padding of some light fibrous material inclosed in awater-proof envelop. Such construction however, although providinggreater buoyancy bulk-for-bulk than cork and at a considerably lowercost, has proved unsatisfactory owing to the lack of rigidity inconsequence of which such construction is liable to flexing under thestrain that would be thrown upon it with the result that an injury tothe envelop would occur and so impair the waterproof properties of thelatter.

The objects of the present invention are therefore, firstly to provide aconstruction which will combine the qualities of great buoyancy andinexpensiveness of inanufacture with such rigidity and imperviousness towater as to render it capable of use eniciently under the requiredconditions; secondly, to provide a device capable of use on ship-board,or by life-saving corps at the seaside, adapted to be conveniently towedout by one or more swimmers through surf breakers or a rough sea to theaid of any person in need of assist-ance and to provide an efficientmeans whereon such rescued persons may be supported and conveyed tosafety; thirdly, to provide a unit which may be conveniently handled andthrown into the water where it may be assembled with other Specificationof Letters Patent.l

Application led December 12, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

serial No. 896,180.

similar units so as to provide a pont-oon or raft which will serve tosupplement the accommodation of the ships boats.

In order that the nature of the invention and its construction may befully understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying sheetof drawings in which z- Figure l.- is a view of the buoy as a whole,Fig. 2.- is a longitudinal section of the same showing its construction.Fig. 3.- illustrates in perspective the framework employed forstrengthening the buoy, and, Fig. lwillustrates the buoy when beingtowed out by swimmers to render assistance.

The buoy is made of suitable size and approximately of torpedo-shape,being virtually cylindrical in form and tapering to a cone-point at eachend. It is formed (as shown in Fig. 2) by means of a metallic rod or rodof other rigid material l. Surround ing the said rod l is arranged apadding 2 of kapoc or other light material which is hermeticallyinclosed by means of a waterproof envelop 3 of thin prepared canvas. Thesaid construction is arranged within a closely fitting framework ofceel-basket formation as shown in Fig. 8, of metal or other suitablematerial and comprising a combination of longitudinal members or staves4: and circumferential members or ribs 5. Surrounding the said frameworkis a water-proof envelop 6 of thick prepared canvas which in turn ininclosed within an outer water-proof cover 7 also of thick canvas towhich is applied a sufficient number of paint layers to render itimpervious to the action of water.

By the above described construction it will be seen that the outer skin7 will, if intact, serve to protect the whole of the interior fromcontact with the water. In the event of failure of such outer skin,however, due to mechanical injury as might be occasioned by contact withsharp objects or due to rotting of the fabric in consequence ofcontinual exposure to the sun or repeated contact with water ormoisture, the water after passing through the skin 7 would come incontactwith the inner skin 6 and which would effectually serve toprotect the interior. Again in the event of both the skins 6 and 7 beingpenetrated as might take place in the event of the buoy being dashedviolent-ly against wreckage or projecting points of rock, the waterwould still be prevented from contact with the padding 2 by theinnermost envelop 3,7while the damaged skins 6 and 7 although renderednon-waterproof would, by reasonof the 'fact that they Varev supported bythe aforesaid framework, stillY serve to afford protection to theenvelop 3 from mechanical linjury and thusenable the buoy to continueits function.

The construction of the framework is such that although as a whole thestructure will eHectual-ly resist any tendency on the part ofv thel buoyto flexing under a strain, yet the individualmembers of which it is con-Y stituted -will be suficient-ly springy to withstand an impact withoutdanger of breakage' or buckling. By 4this construction'also the combinedaction of the rod l and the framework will serve to maintain the padding2- in shape and position and thus prevent any undue strain frombeing'thrown upon'the envelops 3, 6 and 7. f

VThe buoy may be'provided with the lifelines or loops of rope 8 for usein clinging n to such buoy and which may be provided the extremities ofthe uoy, to one of which traces ll maybe attached to enable suoli buoyto be towed out to the person in need of assistance, while to the ringor other means at the opposite end of such buoy, a

line` l2 may be attached for the purpose of hauling such buoy with thesuccored persons back to safety. A pocket 13 `may also be provided tohold any stimulants or appliances likely to be required in renderingfirst aid. To cause it to float' with the desired sidenormally upward,the buoy may be suitably weighted.

Qn4 account of its particular shapeL the buoy may be towed through thewater with a minimum of resist-ance and through surfbreakers or a roughsea without danger of drowning any persons clinging or attached thereto,while such shape also affords a maXimum of strength t0 the construction.

In cases of shipwreck a number of such buoys vmay be `thrown into thewater where they may be assembled in groups as required andA securedtogether side by sideso as to provide rafts for the purposevof receivingand conveying passengers to safety.

I claim- A device ofthe class described compris ing in combination a rodsurrounded by a padding vof light fibrous material7 a thin water-proofenvelop hermetically inclosing said padding, and circumferential membersinclosing said envelop, and one lor more outer protecting water-proofskinsV inclosing said construction, substantially as set forth.

In testimonyv whereof I have signed my name Ato this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN BALDWIN ADAMS.

TWitnesses n CYRIL CARLYN CoATEs, SIDNEY JAMES VRELEAVEN.

Go'pielof this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of'Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

a framework of longitudinal z

